Tennis is an exciting sport to bet on and it’s more straightforward that other sports, given the format.
No draws in the outright tennis markets means that bettors can typically back a short-priced odds-on favourite or look to find some value in a much longer-priced underdog on tennis betting sites.
In this guide you’ll find tennis betting odds explained in-depth and learn how to bet on sports like tennis where draws are not an option.
We cover areas like reading tennis odds, the main tennis betting markets to concentrate on, and posit some tennis betting strategies to keep in mind.
What are tennis betting odds?
Tennis betting odds are typically the prices bookmakers set on players winning a match outright, winning a set or winning a specific game in a set.
In the UK, odds are commonly expressed as fractions (e.g. 4/6 vs 6/5 - margin included, for a close tennis match).
Modern online bookmakers generally have the option to toggle from fractional odds to decimal odds.
With tennis being a sport with only two outcomes by nature (win or lose), it is an easier sport for beginners to read the odds compared to football or horse racing.
Let’s look at an example of the tennis odds of a closely-priced match (e.g. a 4/6 favourite vs a 5/4 underdog) and work through the staking and potential returns on each side.
The decimal betting odds equivalent here are 1.67 and 2.25 respectively. The bookmaker margin implemented in this tennis odds example is 4.4%.
If we stake £10 on player A at 4/6 we can work out the returns using the following formula: stake x numerator / denominator + stake.
Ie: (£10 x 4 / 6) +10 = £16.67
On player B: £10 x 5 / 4 +10 = £22.50
In this example player A (4/6) is the shorter odds and therefore the bookmaker’s favourite to win the match. Player B is what is known as odds against (5/4) and in this case is the underdog.
These odds are very close, signalling a tight match, and the prices can fluctuate in the lead-up to the game.
There might be some significant injury news or a flood of money coming in for one player given variables like head-to-head record, form on the specific surface or history in the event.
Odds will also change more rapidly if live tennis betting odds are offered when the match goes in-play. It is easiest to track the prices on-the-go using the best tennis betting apps.
The main tennis betting markets
Tennis betting odds are set in a myriad of different markets. Here are three of the most popular markets for tennis betting:
- Match winner: Placing a wager on the player who will win the tennis match outright.
- Set betting: Predict who will win a specific set or go one further and try and guess the exact score of the set to get bigger and better odds (e.g. 6-4).
- Handicap betting: In tennis handicap betting, one player will receive a theoretical headstart. For example, the underdog is given a plus-one set advantage meaning they add a set to their final score. Odds are adjusted accordingly.
Live tennis betting odds update constantly during a match for all these tennis betting markets. The strategy section below gives punters tips on how to take advantage of that.
Tennis betting strategies
- A player’s ranking may not reflect their true chance of winning the match. Other variables come into play. For example, certain tennis players excel on particular surfaces, whether it be clay, hard or grass. Rafael Nadal was a clay-court specialist and digging up his form stats on that surface painted a different picture than his overall stats.
- Head-to head: Different strokes for different folks. Players might have a weakness in their game and when they come up against an opponent with a specific style, this might be exploited time and time again. For example, player A has a very strong serve that player B finds hard to deal with. Typically this will be reflected in the head-to-head player history.
- Live tennis betting odds are there to be taken advantage of. Watching the odds shift in-play tells bettors the story of the match. A big favourite might lose momentum after a break in serve and the match becomes more even than the current tennis odds suggest.
- The match winner price alone on the favourite may be very short before it goes live. If you want to bet on the favourite or indeed the underdog, there are more obscure tennis betting markets to look out for like set betting and Asian handicap betting odds that are harder to price up and may not imply the true probability.
Please gamble responsibly
Regulated betting sites provides multiple responsible gambling tools. These include deposit limits, self-exclusion, session time reminders, loss limits and time-outs, plus GAMSTOP registration for self-exclusion across multiple operators.
Responsible gambling can help bettors stay safe when gambling online. By setting a budget, taking regular breaks, and not chasing losses, punters can limit the risk of problem gambling.
Betting on tennis should always be a source of entertainment only and never relied upon as a source of income.
Tennis betting odds FAQs
What do tennis betting odds mean?
Tennis betting odds are the prices offered by the bookmaker on a tennis match, game or set and props. The shorter the odds, the higher the implied probability of the selection coming in. Long odds mean the player or selection is an underdog or the bet is less likely to win.
How do you read tennis odds if you're new to betting?
If betting in fractional odds, divide the denominator (number on right of the slash) by the numerator (number on left of the slash) plus the denominator and multiply by 100 to get the implied probability of the bet coming in. If using decimals divide 100 by the odds to get the percentage chance (e.g. 100/2.5 = 40%). To calculate the potential return simple multiply the odds by the stake (e.g. £10*2.5 = £25).
Do tennis odds change during a match?
Yes - most betting sites offer live tennis betting odds that update after every point, game or set as momentum shifts, and this can be a good opportunity to spot some value in the tennis betting markets.
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